THE ENEMY ALIEN QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 April 1919, Page 6

THE ENEMY ALIEN QUESTION.

| DISCUSSED BY FARMERS' UNION. At a meeting of the Taranaki Provincial Executive of the Fanners' Union on Thursday, Mr D. L. A. Astbury moved that the Union recommend an alteration in the War Legislation and Statute Law Amendment Act of 1918. Section 3 of the Act provides: "A person of enemy origin shall be exempt from the prohibitions, liabilities and penalties imposed by this Act if such person has actually served with His Majesty's forces abroad at any time since the 4th August, 15114, and has received or is entitled to receive an honorable discharge from such service." Mr Astbury moved to add the words "and shall include the parents of such person, providing they have not been convicted of disloyalty to His Majesty." He remarked that the definition in the existing Act meant a person of enemy origin or birth, no matter how long he had been in the Dominion, and no matter whether he was married to a woman of our own nationality. It certainly included the parents of many boys who had gone to the front, fought for our Empire, and in many cases made the supreme sacrifice .That was unjust to the wife, particularly the wife of British origin, or of friendly State origin, and more unjust still if her boys ahd gone to the war and done their duty to Jhe Empire. The lads in that case were exempted from certain disabilities, and it appeared only right that the parents should also be exempted. He knew some parents who felt the position very keenly. They had been absolutely as loyal as any Britisher could be, and they were now suffering under the cloud created by this Act. He believed that most men of German origin living in our midst and under the freedom' and liberty of the British constitution for 50 years had lost all feeling for the country we had been at war with and won. Many had, they might almost say, given their blood through their boys on the fields of France for the Empire's cause, and it seemed, therefore, only just to exempt them as well as the boys. Mr Maxwell waa sorry to disagree with the motion. He knew Mr Astbury moved it with the best of intentions, and he sympathised with his arguments so far as they concerned people who had been sincerely loyal. But there was no law that did not impose some hardships. If he were a Britisher resident in Germany no circumstances and no declaration would make him a loyal German, and no one would be looked upon with greater contempt than an Englishman living in Germany who would desert his peoole and declare loyalty to the German Empire. Equally so no full-blooded German—with mixed parentage it was difficult to know which parent the children would take after—could be a really loyal, sinpere and honorable citizen of the British Empire. To so desert his own people would be an impossibility. Majiy German people had behaved very well and recognised the advantages and protection of the British constitution; they preferred New Zealand because it was more free than their own country, but for all that they were Germans. If he were disloyal to his own people he was not a worthy citizen. He was absolutely satisfied that numbers who went to the front went with no other intention than of acting as spies. There was a case that came under his own absolute knowledge of parents, whose son went to the war, being absolutely disloyal on their own confessions. A man might desert his country in the matter of residence, but he would not desert his people when in trouble if he were a loyal man. The experience of this war had taught them that the less they had to do with the enemy the better. They had had the bitter experience of seeing the flower of Britain's manhood murdered in absolute disregard of all international laws; they had seen these laws all swept aside in the brutal desire of the German nation to rule the world. Now the Germans were whining for better terms, fearful lest they lose a little territory He knew two distinct cases in Taranaki where the. wives of German husbands were learning German, and they made the deliberate declaration that, as the Germans were going to win the war, New Zealand would be a German colony, and they would all then have to speak German.

Mr Pierce sympathised with Mr Astbury's intentions, but agreed with MiMaxwell's view of the case.

Mr Lambie said that Scott's words expressed his feelings: "Breathes there a , man with soul so dead who never to himself has said, this is my own, mv native land." ' ' '

Mr Owen said that it was impossible to make a law to meet every ease. Whilst some persons of German birth who had resided in this country had faithfully carried out their duties and obligations of citizenship, the fact remained that there were others who could not be trusted.

Mr Astbury, in his reply, reminded his audience that the head of the British Empire had German hlood in his veins, which only proved the fact that from the very head right downwards people could be absolutely loyal to the British Empire, even though' they bad German blood. Britain in the Boer war realised in her generosity and statesmanship that she would' make greater and truer friends with the Transvaal people by giving them the same form of government that she had herself, and they had men with alien Wood in their veins fighting in France just as bravely and warmly as fullblooded Britishers.

Upon the motion being put it was declared lost on the voices.